Construction of railways



(No Model.)

B. GAY.

CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS.

No. 536,465. Patented Mar. 26, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELIJAH GAY, OF SOUTH RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 536,465, dated March26, 1895. I

Application filed January 3, 1895. Serial No. 533,751- (No model.) I

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIJAH GAY, a citizen of the United States, residingat South Riverside, in the county of San Bernardino and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in theConstruction of Railways; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame. 7

My invention relates to improvements in railways; and it'has for itsgeneral objects to provide means adapted to prevent the objectionablesinking or settling of the sleepers or ties and means for prolonging theusefulness of the sleepers or ties by preventing the rails from cuttinginto the same.

With the foregoing ends in view, the invention will be fully understoodfrom the following description and claims when taken in connection withthe annexed drawing, in which the figure is a sectional perspective Viewof a portion of a railway constructedin accordance with my invention.

Referring by letter to said drawingz-A, indicates the sleepers or tiesof my improved railway which may be formed of wood and of the ordinaryshape andsize, and which may be placed at suitable intervals in or uponthe roadbed in the usual manner.

B, indicates the rails which may also be of the ordinary construction,and 0, indicates pillars or posts which are arranged beneath thesleepers or ties at opposite ends thereof as shown. These pillars orposts 0, which may be of the proportional size illustrated or smaller incross section, are provided at their upper ends with metal cap plates D,which are fixed in position by nails or screws and are designed andadapted to protect the posts against the action of water or moisture andare also designed to prevent the upper ends of the posts from beingsplit and broken by the Weight and shock imposed on the ties or sleepersby passing trains. At their lower ends, the said pillars or posts C, aremounted upon fiat pieces E, of stone, metal, or wood which serves toprevent sinking or settling of the pillars and consequently thesleepersor ties, which is an important desideratum.

As will be readily perceived by reference to the drawing the rails B,are mounted, not directly over the pillars or posts 0, but at pointsbetween the said pillars and the mid dle of the ties. By reason of thisarrangement a degree of elasticity is preserved in the track which is animportant advantage.

F, indicates metallic plates which are interposed between the rails B,and sleepers or ties A, and are connected by nails, spikes or the liketo the latter: These plates F, are designed and adapted to prolong theusefulness of the sleepers or ties by preventing the rails from cuttingor sinking into the same and they are provided with apertures as a, forthe passage of spikes b, through the medium of which the rails areconnected to the sleepers in the ordinary manner.

A railway embodying my invention may be constructed almost as cheaply asthe ordinary railroad; and it will beseen from the foregoing that byreason of my improved devices, sinking or settling of the sleepers orties is effectually prevented and the objectionable necessity offrequently raising and placing ballasts under the same is obviated. Itwill also be seen from the foregoing that the rails are prevented fromcutting or sinking into the'ties and that therefore the ties will lastmuch longer than when the rails rest directly upon them.

When the ground that the road is built on is hard or stony, pieces ofboard placed horizontally below the ends of the sleepers or ties may beemployed in lieu of the posts 0, hereinbefore described.

Having described my invention, what I claim is-- 1. A railway comprisingsleepers or ties, pillars or posts 0, arranged under the sleepers orties and the rails mounted upon the sleepers or ties at points betweenthe pillars or posts 0, and the middle of the ties, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The herein described railway comprising sleepers or ties, metalplates F, connected to the upper side of the sleepers or ties and havingapertures a, the rails arranged on the pillars or posts all as and forthe purpose set 7 plates F, spikes taking through the apertures forth. I

of the plates and connecting the rails to the In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature sleepers or ties, the pillars or posts 0, arinpresence of two witnesses.

5 ranged under the sleepers or ties and having ELIJ AH GAY.

metal cap plates at their upper ends, and fiat Witnesses: pieces ofstone, wood or other suitable ma- ROBERT O. JONES,

terial arranged beneath the lower ends of the ALBERT TERRY.

